The National tribune., 1887-05-05
THE 111th PA.
A Comrade Tells How IL, Too, Had Hand In the
Fight ON Lookout.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The troops
under Hooker who had a hand in the capt
ure Of Lookout Mountain were Gearys Di-
vision, Of the Twentieth Corps, Osterhaus's,
Of the Fifteenth Corps, and Cruft's, of the
Fourth Corps. The two last-named Corps were
to make diversion in front of the works near
the railroad bridge over Lookout Creek, and
along the other part Of the rebel line leading 10
the Tennessee River, while Geary was TO at
tack the rebel rear lie crossed the creek at
about a. m. on the morning Of the cath Of No
pember, and shortly after surprised and capt
ured the rebel picket-post of AZ men without
firing gun. The rebels were not aware Of
Geary's attack in their rear, and they came
down from heircamps 10 repel what they sup
posed was the real attack of Osterhaus and
Cruft in their front.
About or O'Clock Crosses Brigade had capt
ured the bridge across the creek and made a
connection with the line under Geary, which
had 10y this time swung around the top Of the
slope, under the palisades. The whole line then
made a charge, with Geary's White Star Di-
vision on the right, Cruft in the center and Os-
terhaus on the left, resting on the Tennessee
River. AT dark they held all the mountain ex-
cept the peak and Summervlle road.
The troops in the immediate front Of Geary's
Division were the 10Th and 36th Ala of Moores
Brigade Stevenson's Division. They kept upa
continuous firing until about o'clock at night,
when they received orders 10 evacuate the posi-
ton. The troops on the crest of Lookout left
first. and by o'clock in the morning there
were no COnfederates left on the mountain.
Frank Guy. Mike German and Logan J. Dyke
climbed up over the rocks and flung the old
flag OF the llith Pa 10 the breeze, and when
the sun got his chin on the crest of RaccOon
Ridge, near keiiys Ferry, he kissed the flag OF
our old regiment with his FIRST loyal ray. Geary
aud the most of the troops were then ordered
forward, and little after daylight the sth Ky.
ran up its flag there and held the position.
1t can be readily seen from the relative posi-
tions Of the troops that il would not be posi-
BILE for any other troops to have been first TO
occupy the top Of the mountain, for the White
Star Division had the right of the line all the
time during the struggle for the mountain top.
The mistake of supposing that Others did get
there Grst came from Mr.. Benjamin +. Taylor,
who, as correspondent of some Western papers
went mp on the mountain later ia the day. and
when he saw what regiment then occupied it.
took it for granted that il was the first TO get
there.
While the other two divisions helped 10 drive
the enemy of the mountain. and did their
duty no less than our regiment did. we claim
that the White Star OF the Twentieth Corps
"soit bread and paper-collar boys" IL You
please, climbed those rugged sleeps and made
IL possible 10 capture the most inaccessible
point las he thought) that was on Bragg's line.
All the assertions which are here made arc cor
roboratcd by the official reports of the Union
aud Confederate ommanaers.-SHELDoN NJ.
MOORE Sergeant, Co. 4, lllth Pa, Erie, Pa.